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This is the USS Submarine Pampanito, a second world war Balao class submarine at the San Francisco Maritime Park Museum which is situated at Fisherman’s Wharf. In the background can be seen a liberty ship of the same era.
A short history of the Pampanito – She was built in 1943, and did six tours of duty.
On the 12th Sept. 1944 she unknowingly sank the Kachidoki Maru which unfortunately was transporting 900 British and Australian prisoners of war.
Also sunk was the tanker Zuiho Maru and damaged a third ship. Three days later she moved back to the area of the sinkings and found men clinging to makeshift rafts. As the sub moved closer the men were heard to be shouting in english – Pampanito was able to pick up seventy three British and Australian survivors and called in three other subs, Sealion, Barb and Queenfish to assist with the rescue. She then set course for Saipan to discharge the survivors.
Her total war time score was six Japanese ships sunk and four others damaged.

PENTAX – P30N 35mm film camera.
Image digitised.